Druid
''Printer-friendly version'' The druid is a shapeshifting, hybrid class and also one of the most versatile classes in the game. As with other hybrids, druids need to specialize in a single role for the best results. Due to their need to shape-shift to fulfill roles, they can only perform one role at a time; they must switch between the different shapes to adapt to changing situations. A properly specced and geared druid is capable of fulfilling any role. Druid players need to be aware that this versatility also bears a danger — it may be difficult to keep focused when gathering gear. In order to truly fulfill a hybrid role, druids require several complete sets. This is expensive in time, bag space, and gold; however, the ability to spec to completely different roles makes druids a smart and flexible class choice. Another nice feature of druids is their ability to travel faster. See the skills section below for more information. Background instructs Malfurion, Tyrande, and Illidan.]] :"We are the preservers of the balance, now and forever, as Malfurion lies in the Dreaming. Never forget this." : - Kal of Dolanaar Druids are keepers of the world who walk the path of nature, following the wisdom of the Ancients and Cenarius, healing and nurturing the world. To druids, nature is a delicate balance of actions in which even the smallest imbalance can create storming turmoil from peaceful skies. Druids draw their power from this natural energy, using it to change their shapes and command the forces of nature.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 67 Traditionally, druids chose the path of a specific animal totem. Since the invasion of the Burning Legion, however, most druids have undergone a number of reforms, including encouraging the study of magic from all totems. Druids who do this are known as druids of the wild.Alliance Player's Guide, 14 Lore Cenarius is the patron entity of all druids. However, each group of druids has its own special patrons and some even have the ability to transform into a being that looks like their patron. Many druids take on an animal companion based on their patron. According to tauren mythology, Cenarius instructed them first in druidism as recounted in their myth, Forestlord and the First Druids. With the release of Wrath of the Lich King, it is strongly suggested that tauren were most likely the first students of Cenarius, as accounted for by a 10,000+ year old immortal tauren druid by the name of Xarantaur. There is still debate whether this character is considered canon, but Xarantaur suggests in the game that while he and his brethren were taught directly by Cenarius, his fellow druids forgot their lessons over the years; this would imply that current tauren druidism is relatively new, learned from the night elves. As it stands, the night elves lay claim to the first druid with Malfurion Stormrage. He is not only considered the most powerful known druid in Warcraft lore, but is also considered one of the most powerful characters on Azeroth. Malfurion led the night elves through the War of the Ancients and the long years that followed. With the creation of the World Tree Nordrassil, the kaldorei druids were bound to Ysera and her realm, the Emerald Dream, in which they spent centuries of their immortal lives. The Cenarion Circle was formed as the governing society of druids, based in sacred Moonglade. Locked in slumber in their barrow dens for generations, the druids awoke to meet the threat of the Burning Legion during its recent invasion. After Archimonde's defeat, the druids chose to remain in the waking world to help rebuild their shattered lands. The Legion's attack left a terrible scar on the natural order and the druids sought to heal it. The night elf druids were recently joined in the Cenarion Circle by the tauren druids. Neither participate in the Alliance/Horde conflict, but coexist peacefully within the Circle. Druids belong to many other different organizations or types including the Cenarion Expedition and the Druids of the Claw, Talon, Wild, Fang, Antler, Grove, Scythe and Pack. Warcraft Encyclopedia Druids come and go as they please, and their goals typically have little to do with the "civilized" world. Unaffiliated with any specific government, the primary druidic organization on Azeroth, the Cenarion Circle, answers to no one save itself. The highest rank that a druid can have is that of archdruid, and there are only a few archdruids on Azeroth. At the moment the Cenarion Circle's leader is Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, also widely considered to be the first mortal druid on Azeroth. ;Strengths, Abilities, and Underlying Motivations Through their deep connection to life and nature, druids are able to take on an unusually large variety of roles. Probably a druid's best-known role is that of a healer. Druids are justly famed for their ability to restore life, cure poisonous wounds, and remove curses. Indeed, restoring and protecting the planet is one of the top priorities for all druids. Still, to regard a druid as merely a healer is a dangerously simplistic assumption that has led to the defeat of many an unwary foe. Druids' empathy with the creatures of the wild also allows them to shapeshift into the forms of other animals. For example, a wounded druid whose magical energies are running low might abruptly take on the form of a bear in order to better withstand further injury. Alternatively, the druid might shift into the form of some large cat, sneak up behind an enemy, then pounce and deliver a fierce flurry of melee attacks. Even the deepest oceans can be explored by druids, who can simply shift into an aquatic creature, allowing them to stay underwater as long as needed. Until the end of the Third War, druids periodically visited the Emerald Dream to monitor the ebb and flow of life on Azeroth. Today such a visit has become more difficult due to Nordrassil's poor health. Druids possess a deep understanding of the way in which all living things depend upon one another. Whenever this delicate equilibrium is disrupted, the druids work to restore the balance. To that end, druids can use their connection with the Emerald Dream to exert a calming influence over animals, even forcing some into a temporary state of hibernation. Just as the druids can wield peace and somnolence, however, they can tap into the fury of nature itself. Terrible storms respond to their call, thorns sprout from their skin to wound their attackers. Even previously harmless roots grow from the soil at greatly accelerated speeds in order to entangle foes. ;Limitations For obvious reasons, druids thrive in the wild outdoors. Inevitably they lose some of their effectiveness when they are forced to endure separation from the natural environment. What good is a cleansing rain when a druid cannot even see the sky? How are roots to capture a foe who is standing atop a high tower? Such cases clearly require a druid with the imagination to consider new strategies and the flexibility to carry them out. Equipment Druids are able to wear cloth and leather armor only. *Staff *One-handed Mace *Two-handed Mace *Dagger *Fist weapon *Polearm Druids do not use shields (although in bear form their armor is so high it were as if they were), and do not dual wield. Off-hand items may be used by druids. Druids receive a 5% bonus to their primary stat when wearing all leather armor. It is uncommon to find two-handed maces with agility on them, so most feral or guardian druids use either staves or polearms. Notable druids Races Playable races= /playable-races}} |-| TCG images= /tcg-images}} Playable races /playable-races}} TCG images /tcg-images}} Shapeshifting /shapeshifting-overview}} |Using disguises| /shapeshifting-using-disguises}} |Customization| /shapeshifting-customization}} }} Overview /shapeshifting-overview}} Using disguises /shapeshifting-using-disguises}} Customization /shapeshifting-customization}} Specializations/stats |Feral| |Guardian| |Restoration| }} Balance Feral Guardian Restoration Skills/Glyphs |Talents| |Glyphs| |PvP talents| }} Core abilities Talents Glyphs PvP talents Suggested professions * and are logical choices for any leather armor wearing class (and mail armor wearing as well). This allows crafting decent armor as one levels and various augments. * can be useful for druids with less-healing specializations who need quick potion heals and various buffs from elixirs and flasks. This profession is also good all around for making money and supplying guild runs. * provides ingredients for and . This profession is also good all around for making money. * is good for any less-healing specs for non-combat health regeneration and provides good buff foods. * is good for any less-healing specs for in-combat health regeneration and low downtime regeneration. For healing specs it saves precious mana for heal spells. * is good for leveling cooking. End-game expectations *While before the Burning Crusade expansion most druids were healers in the end game, new itemization and talents have made druids of any specialization viable in end-game and raids. *Entangling Roots gives druids the ability to provide reliable crowd control on melee targets. *There is no class better at healing over time than restoration druids. In raid encounters where there is a lot of movement and cast times are often interrupted, a druid is quite effective in healing due to the instant-cast nature of their HoTs, enabling spells to be cast on the run. In arenas, resto druid teams are particularly feared by many due to the druid's ability to quickly cast HoT's on both partner and self, and the ability to keep out of harm's way with Travel Form, effectively kiting most opponents. *Guardian druids can fill the core role of tanking well. While Warriors have significant advantages on some raid bosses, guardian druids have the unique flexibility to switch from tanking to melee DPS on demand. They often tank bosses or mob groups where more tanks are required, and then change form and gear to DPS on bosses where only 1 or 2 tanks are required. It is also possible during a single fight, if the add they are offtanking dies. *Feral druids are expected to bring utility while still providing reliable damage over time bleeds. Many cats are able to hit high damage meters while still being able to battle resurrect or tank small adds if needed. Media Videos Balance Druid Basic DPS Guide|Balance Feral Druid Basic DPS Guide|Feral Guardian Druid Basic Tanking Guide|Guardian Restoration Druid Basic Healing Guide|Restoration Crash Course - Druid|Crash Course See also *List of druids *Druid sects *Druids as tanks *Alamo References External links | |-}}}}|desc= }} | |-}}}}|desc= }} ;Official }} ;Guides de:Druide es:Druida fi:Druid fr:Druide FAQ he:דרואיד it:Druid ja:Druid nl:Druid pl:Druid Category:Classes Category:Core classes Category:Druids Category:WoW classes